Sean Clifford recently made history as he became Penn State's all-time passing yards leader, overtaking the great Trace McSorley, who had previously owned the record with 9,899 yards.
Of course, Trace McSorley was so much more than Penn State’s all-time passing leader. He was a Nittany Lions legend who brought the program back to the big time after several years in the doldrums.
Trace McSorley came to Penn State as a middling three-star recruit who was known for his dual-threat ability. James Franklin recruited him at Vanderbilt and was able to convince him to join him at University Park when Franklin got the head coaching job in 2014.
After getting relatively little playing time as Christian Hackenberg’s backup during his redshirt freshman season, Trace McSorley finally got the chance to become the starter after Hack left for the NFL.
While he had some early struggles in the passing game, there was something special about him. And that became clear for all to see when he led Penn State to a huge 24-21 upset against No. 2-ranked Ohio State. Despite going just 8-of-23 for 154 yards, McSorley still made the plays – particularly with his legs – to help bring down the Buckeyes.
Trace McSorley and Penn State went on to bigger and better things after that win. He broke the school's single-season record for passing yards as he emerged as a legitimate Heisman candidate. He guided Penn State to the Big Ten championship game, where he would orchestrate a huge comeback from 28-7 down to win the Big Ten title, setting both passing yards and total yards records in the championship game.
After his dream debut year, the pressure and expectation were sky-high for Trace McSorley heading into his junior season. But he proceeded to have another outstanding season with comparable numbers to his Heisman campaign. Although, back-to-back losses to Ohio State and Michigan State derailed their College Football Playoff hopes.
With back-to-back great seasons under his belt, McSorley was not eligible for the NFL Draft. But he decided to forgo going pro and returned for his senior season.
With Saquon Barkley moving on, Trace McSorley and the Nittany Lions took a step back as they finished 9-4 in his senior season. McSorley regressed as a passer but continued to produce as a runner as he finished with 798 rushing yards and 12 rushing TDs.
Trace McSorley is now in the NFL, originally drafted by the Baltimore Ravens and now with the Arizona Cardinals. But even though he has long since graduated, Trace McSorley’s legend lives on at Penn State, where he is rightly considered among the best players in school history.
And if you'd like to relive the glory days of Trace at Penn State, go ahead and check out McSorley's merch collection over at Fan Arch. With great shirts, hoodies and sweatshirts, get a new look from the Penn State legend.
Trace McSorley, along with 1000+ professional athletes and influencers have personalized merchandise on the Fan Arch’s website!
Fan Arch aims to transcend the narrative by making it easier to bridge the gap between athletes, influencers, and their fans. Check out our creative and personalized collection through Fanarch.com.
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